Selling with Data #32 - The first follower

There is one thing that every leader has to have – followers.

So much focus is put on the leader but often an overlooked person is the first follower.

First followers help new ideas become more accepted by groups of people who might otherwise be reluctant or skeptical of them. Without the first follower, many ideas won't ever be launched.

One of the best short videos to showcase the importance of the first follower is this 3-minute video. It is a few years old, but if you haven't seen it yet, it is really worth watching.

Key takeaways from the video:

Role 1 - The "lone nut," before they become the leader, takes a chance and risks looking ridiculous to do something new. That something new has to be simple and consistent so others can easily follow. Once they have their first follower the leader needs to embrace the first follower as an equal. It is not about the leader it is about "them."

Role 2 - The first follower takes a chance and risks looking ridiculous with the "lone nut." They are compelled to join and once they do, they transform the "lone nut" into a leader. They call out to others to join them and teach everyone else how to follow which creates momentum for the movement.

Role 3 - The subsequent followers emulate the other follower(s) not the leader and that feeds the movement. More people jump in, creating a tipping point where it is riskier to not join in with others than it is to join the movement.

Examples of famous first followers in business

• Steve Wozniak was one of the first people to believe in and support Steve Jobs' vision.
• Sheryl Sandberg, the first female executive at Google and later at Facebook, helped shape the direction of both companies.
• JB Straubel played a crucial role in the early success of Elon Musk as his first employee at PayPal, and then later at Tesla and SpaceX.
• Tony Hsieh helped launch Amazon with Jeff Bezos.

Why is the first follower so important?

At IBM we are rolling out multiple initiatives, including a CRM rollout, marketing + sales client insights, technical certifications, product led growth (PLG), and more. The difference between if the initiative succeeds or fails is not the leader, it is the first follower. The first follower teaches the rest of the organization what behaviors to emulate as part of the fiber of their daily operations. The subsequent followers follow the first follower, not the leader. They found the movement and recruit other followers which creates the tipping point when it becomes more difficult to ignore the movement than to join it. A leader without a first follower is just a "lone nut" and will likely fail.

I have so much respect and appreciation for the people who are courages enough to separate from the pack and become the first follower.

What makes someone a great first follower?

• They're easy to follow - The first followers provide a model for others to follow, making it easier for new ideas to gain acceptance. They have already taken the risk of standing out and aren't concerned with appearances, so they create a welcoming environment for subsequent followers, who feel comfortable joining in and may even invite others to follow.
• They lead by example - The first followers serve as role models, providing guidance and support to others who want to follow. They work alongside the original leader, who views them as equal partners, and their actions can be more influential than words in inspiring others to join the cause.
• They aren't afraid of change - The first followers are aware of the value of promoting innovation and adapting to new challenges in innovative ways. They embrace change instead of fearing it, and work to make it more widely accepted. Their leadership helps hesitant individuals see the benefits of change and encourages them to support it on their own terms.

How can leaders attract and nurture first followers?

For leaders, consider that the success of the movement is dependent more on a first follower than it is about you as the leader. Follow these steps to transform yourself from a "lone nut" to a leader.

• Take a chance by leading from the front and modeling the intended desired behaviors in a consistent way so it is easy to attract your first follower. For example, if you want to drive adoption of your CRM tool, then consistently be in your CRM tool. Or, if you want sellers to come back to the office, go back to the office yourself.
• Start small and aim to build a community of like-minded people. I have found it helpful to start the movement by writing down the mission and key factors in a shareable document to recruit and align like-minded people.
• Treat the first followers as an equal and help the first leaders operationalize their behaviors in an authentic way so that others can learn to follow the first follower.
• Provide space for the first followers to attract other subsequent followers by showcasing their behaviors and amplifying their successes.
• Monitor the success of the movement and help the first follower by identifying and clearing obstacles until the movement passes the tipping point of adoption.

"The best way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow. When you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first person to stand up and join in." - quote from the video

Please share your comments on the first follower, including any examples of great first followers.

Good selling.